When Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott met in 1994 a magnetic, symbiotic attraction ensued, one that would forever shape the world of fashion photography.
Barely into their 20s, they saw each other at a party in England, and small talk quickly gave way to a discussion of their shared aesthetic and how to portray that behind the lens.
“Their unique blend of vision, energy and innovation has created some of the most iconic images of our time.”
— Nadja
Arriving on a scene mired in grunge, Mert & Marcus offered sexiness, provocation and fierce beauty that can at times be unsettling for its rawness. Their approach to capturing the beauty, life and love of their subjects has become legendary, and 30 years into their partnership the duo is still going strong.
Their style is unmistakable. Their photos are glamorous, intense, often surreal and intent on breaking the boundaries traditional fashion photography had imposed. Mert and Marcus embrace pop culture influences, as they do manipulations of light and darkness unabashed playfulness and odes to strength and beauty as themes for their work. Their shots use hyperreal color, overexposures and digital enhancements; nothing is off limits.
A collection of 300 of their favorite photos was published in 2018 by elite publishing house Taschen, and includes many of their famous photos and campaigns featuring some of the brightest stars in the entertainment galaxy, Remember that photo of Kim Kardashhian climbing a tree naked? Or the shot of Kate Moss clasping a cigarette between her toes? Or perhaps the movie poster for Disney’s Maleficent featuring a demonic Angelina Jolie? Those were all classic Merc and Marcus photos, as are others of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Linda Evangelista, Gisele Bündchen, Björk, and Rihanna.
“The photographers have styled and shot some of the most powerful brands and personalities of our time, from Miu Miu to Angelina Jolie, Givenchy to Gisele Bündchen.”
— Taschen
“It’s not about a vision of a woman or a man, it’s more about a story, a character, a roleplay. We have an idea, a story, a dream in our heads to start with and eventually, we create the character.”
— Mert and Marcus
Their campaigns and editorial work have been featured in nearly all versions of Vogue, Interview Magazine, The Love Magazine, W Magazine, Pop Magazine, Numero, Arena Homme Plus, and Dazed and Confused, to name just a few. Mert and Marcus continue their longstanding relationship with Calvin Klein by shooting the 2024 womenswear campaign featuring Kendall Jenner and look for more from them in the future as they continue to color outside the lines of traditional photography.
